FTA Grants Available Now
Through July 29, 2011, the FTA is accepting applications for grant funds under the following Bus and Bus Facilities (Section 5309) programs:
As part of the programs, the FTA will prioritize the replacement and rehabilitation of intermodal facilities.
Words or phrases in red are meant to highlight important keywords or essential program details. It is useful to employ this established vocabulary when writing your grant proposal.
Bus and Bus Facilities Livability Initiative (Section 5309(b))
Program Background
Projects eligible for funding under the Bus and Bus Facilities Livability Initiative Program (Section 5309(b)) are capital projects such as the construction and rehabilitation of bus-related facilities (including administrative, maintenance, transfer, and intermodal facilities, including facilities consistent with FTA’s Joint Development and Bike/Pedestrian policies).
As part of the program, FTA will prioritize the replacement and rehabilitation of intermodal facilities that support the connection of bus service with multiple modes of transportation such as: Rail, ferry, intercity bus and private transportation providers. In order to be eligible for funding, intermodal facilities must have adjacent connectivity with bus service.
The Bus Livability Initiative will invest in projects that fulfill the following six livability principles that serve as the foundation for the DOT-HUD-EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities:
- Provide more transportation choices: Develop safe, reliable, and economical transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote public health.
- Promote equitable, affordable housing: Expand location- and energy-efficient housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, races and ethnicities to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation.
- Enhance economic competitiveness: Improve economic competitiveness through reliable and timely access to employment centers, educational opportunities, services and other basic needs by workers as well as expanded business access to markets.
- Support existing communities: Target federal funding toward existing communities--through such strategies as transit-oriented, mixed-use development and land recycling-to increase community revitalization, improve the efficiency of public works investments, and safeguard rural landscapes.
- Coordinate policies and leverage investment: Align policies and funding to remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding and increase the accountability and effectiveness of all levels of government to plan for future growth, including making smart energy choices such as locally generated renewable energy.
- Value communities and neighborhoods: Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities by investing in healthy, safe and walkable neighborhoods--rural, urban or suburban.
Funding and Eligibility
The Bus Livability Program will be funded using at least $150 million in available FY 2011 Discretionary Bus and Bus Facilities Program (Section 5309(b)) funds. Federal transit funds are available to state or local governmental authorities as recipients and other public transportation providers as subrecipients at up to 80 percent of the project cost; a 20% local match is generally required. There is no floor or ceiling for any single grant under this program.
Eligible applicants under this program are direct recipients of funds provided under the Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula program (“Direct Recipients”), as well as states and Indian tribes. Proposals for funding eligible projects in rural (nonurbanized) areas must be submitted as part of a consolidated state application with the exception of nonurbanized projects to Indian tribes. Tribes, states, and Direct Recipients may also submit consolidated proposals for projects in urbanized areas.
All proposals must be submitted electronically through the www.grants.gov “APPLY” function.
Additional Information
To read more about this grant opportunity, view the FTA notice in the Federal Register. More detail about the Bus and Bus Facilities Program (Sec. 5309(b)) may be found on the Great American Stations website and the FTA website.
Discretionary Bus and Bus Facilities “State of Good Repair” (SGR) Initiative
Program Background
Projects eligible for funding under the SGR Initiative are capital projects such as: Purchase, replacement, or rehabilitation of, buses and vans and related equipment (including Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), fare equipment, communication devices that are FCC mandatory narrow-banding compliant); replacement or the modernization of bus maintenance and revenue service (passenger) facilities; replacement or modernization of intermodal facilities; and the development and implementation of transit asset management systems.
As part of the program, FTA will prioritize the replacement and rehabilitation of intermodal facilities that support the connection of bus service with multiple modes of transportation such as: Rail, ferry, intercity bus and private transportation providers. In order to be eligible for funding, intermodal facilities must have adjacent connectivity with bus service.
Funding and Eligibility
The SGR Initiative will be funded with up to $750 million in unallocated Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 discretionary Bus and Bus Facilities Program funds.
Eligible proposers and eventual grant applicants under this initiative are “Direct Recipients” under the Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula program, states, and Indian Tribes. Proposals for funding eligible projects in rural (nonurbanized) areas must be submitted as part of a consolidated State proposal with the exception of nonurbanized projects to Indian Tribes. Tribes, states, and Direct Recipients may also submit consolidated proposals for projects in urbanized areas. Proposals shall contain projects to be implemented by the Recipient or its subrecipients. Eligible subrecipients include public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, and private providers engaged in public transportation. Awards will follow the general rule of funding up to 80 percent of the project cost; a 20% local match is generally required.
All proposals must be submitted electronically through the www.grants.gov “APPLY” function.
Additional Information
To read more about this grant opportunity, view the FTA notice in the Federal Register. More about the Bus and Bus Facilities Program (Sec. 5309(b)) may be found on the Great American Stations website and the FTA website.
